AMST 3100-003 Course Syllabus 1930s - Spring 2019

Instructor: Monica Belus Email: mfbelus@uncc.edu Contacting me: email Required Texts:

• Bud, Not Buddy, Christopher Paul Curtis • The Last Trolley Stop: Memories of Poverty, Bigotry, and

Religiosity in Washington, D.C. and Rural Kentucky during the Great Depression, Heber Bouland

• Out of the Dust, Karen Hesse • Stella by Starlight, Sharon Draper

Sources of texts: None of these books needs to be purchased, but each is required for class. Some options for acquiring them include: University bookstore, Amazon, University library, public library, etc.

1930s Course Description

In this completely on-line class, we will examine how diverse social, economic, artistic, literary, philosophical and political forces shaped American society during the 1930s. We will discuss the complex and multifaceted nature of American culture during a tumultuous era that experienced the Great Depression, the Dust Bowl, the demise of the American Dream, the New Deal, and the rise of modern activism. The 1930s powerfully impacted the lives of ordinary people living under extraordinary circumstances. What can we learn from their experiences? Classes will be taught in Canvas with asynchronous modules that explore and interpret the evolution of American adolescence. Students will be expected to participate in on-line discussions and assignments and complete various reading and writing assignments, quizzes, an online presentation, and the final exam.

Required Film: Water for Elephants Please note - This film is required for this class; however, you do not need to purchase it. You may rent, borrow or perhaps view it on instant down-load via various websites.

Contacting me: Email me at mfbelus@uncc.edu. Emails will be returned within 24 hours during the week (Monday-Thursday 9am-5pm); however, if you have not heard from me within 48 hours, please resend your email and assume that I had not received it. Also, I will read emails over the weekend, but I may not respond within 24 hours. Write the course title and/or course number and section number in the subject line.

Course Goals and Learning Outcomes: • Students will explain the causes of the Great Depression and consequences of the Stock

Market Crash of 1929. • Students will analyze Herbert Hoover’s ideologies and attempts to improve the economy

during the Great Depression. • Students will directly compare and contrast the policies of Hoover and FDR. • Students will describe how Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal relief, recovery, and reform

measures addressed the Great Depression and expanded the government’s role in the economy.

• Students will analyze how radios, movies, newspaper, comic strips, and magazines created popular culture and challenged traditional values.

• Students will identify, articulate, and compare and contrast how the Great Depression affected different groups/people (African Americans, Native Americans, women, adolescents, immigrants, homeless, etc.)

General Class Guidelines: Attendance – this course is taught asynchronously so you do not need to be online at any specific time, but you are expected to complete and submit all assignments by the due dates. Keep a back-up of all written work. All assignments will be submitted through Canvas. If something should happen during your submission or if you submit the wrong file, you will be glad that you have a back-up file. Additionally, submitted work may not be visible to students on Canvas after the due dates, so always keep a back-up on your computer if you want to reference it later.

Turnaround Time Papers, discussion-board entries and quizzes will be graded and returned within one week of the due date; email will be returned within 24 hours during the week (Monday-Thursday 9am-5pm. Accessibility Statement: If you have a disability that qualifies you for academic accommodations, contact the Office of Disability Services in Fretwell 230 or call 704-687-4355 at the beginning of the semester. Some requests for accommodations cannot be honored without supporting documentation from the Office of Disability Services. All information shared with the instructor concerning a disability will remain strictly confidential unless otherwise specified by the instructor. American Studies Diversity Commitment Statement: UNC Charlotte is committed to social justice and respect for all individuals, and it seeks to create a culture of inclusion that actively supports all who live, work, and serve in a diverse nation and world. Attaining justice and respect involves all members of our community in recognizing that multi-dimensional diversity contributes to the university learning environments, thereby enriching the community and improving opportunities for human understanding. While the term “diversity” is often used to refer to differences, this class’s intention is for inclusiveness, an inclusiveness of individuals who are diverse in ability/disability, age, economic status, ethnicity, gender, language, national origin, race, religion, and sexual orientation. Therefore, this class aspires to become a more diverse community in order to extend its enriching benefits to all participants. An essential feature of our community is an environment that supports exploration, learning, and work free from bias and harassment, thereby improving the growth and development of each member of the community. Getting Help: Links to getting help for the course, Canvas learning management system, and university resources for student help are available at the links at the bottom of the course home page or at: • Canvas LMS: http://canvas.uncc.edu or 24-hour support line: 877-257-9780 • Student Services Online Backpack:

http://distanceed.uncc.edu/studentservices/online-backpack • Course: contact Monica Belus at mfbelus@uncc.edu Minimum Technical Requirements You will need access to a reliable computer with a high-speed connection (dial-up connections will not support the videos in the course). While Canvas works with both PCs and Macs, you should check whether your current browser is supported and how to configure it: https://community.canvaslms.com/docs/DOC-1284

• Canvas supports a number of mobile browsers; note that not all components of the course

will work on mobile devices. You will also need to have access to Microsoft Word or a similar word processing program that supports .doc and .docx formats.

• For your reading quizzes, you will be expected to perform the initial download and installation of Respondus. Unless specified otherwise, all quizzes will be taken using the Respondus Lock-Down browser.

• Also, written assignments may be submitted to VeriCite.

Minimum Technical Skills In order to succeed in this course, in addition to having a reliable computer with high-speed internet connection, you need the following technical skills: • Ability to use and navigate Canvas, the learning management system (LMS). • Ability to send and receive emails with attachments. • Ability to create and submit commonly used word processing files (.doc and .docx) • Ability to copy and paste images and text. • Ability to download and install software. • Ability to create and present presentations and upload to Kaltura in Canvas. • Ability to use presentation software (PowerPoint, Prezi, etc.) • Ability to download and take quizzes in the Respondus lock-down browser • Ability to submit written submissions to VeriCite.com Extra Credit Policy – There are no extra-credit opportunities for individuals in this course. Please do not get behind with your assignments, ask questions if you have them, and submit your work in a timely manner – NOT at the last minute!

Submission of assignments and posting of grades - for each assignment/discussion, you will be given specific guidelines and expectations, and if any aspect of a prompt or assignment is unclear, it is your responsibility as a student to seek clarification – don’t just skip the assignment. As Canvas is where we will be conducting on-line classes, assignments and discussion will also be submitted the same way. If University system complications occur with Canvas, I will evaluate each situation as a case-by-case issue and further asses how to alter assignments. Further, students must complete and submit all assigned major assignments to pass the course, including the final exam. Late work policy – Inopportune situations occur in life, and I will assess each of those instances on a case-by-case basis. (Computer/technical issues do not count!) Please be prepared to prove your circumstances if something should arise. Failure to submit assignments by the designated day/time without written permission from the instructor prior to the close date/time of the assignment will result in the final grade (of the assignment) being lowered 20% each day late, up to two days maximum, from the due date. Also, as this is an online course, no days are exempt from the two-day late-work policy (weekends, holidays, etc.) Beyond two days, no assignments will be accepted, and the missing assignment(s) will be scored as a zero. Expect to spend at least 8-10 hours a week on the assignments for this course.

MLA - Remember that if you use outside sources, cite them properly!!! Document carefully according to MLA, and do not submit work in this class that has received a grade in another class. Plagiarism is a serious offense and can result in failing the class and, potentially, can lead to dismissal from the University.

Please show respect for different viewpoints that may be expressed in class. You don’t have to agree with them, but I hope you will respect different opinions. This is an open-minded classroom where we are all free to express our thoughts, so long as our thoughts are not meant in a rude or hateful manner. Course requirements – students are expected to fully participate in class as well as complete quizzes, discussions, the online class presentation, and all assigned materials (readings and viewing of movies).

How to be successful in this course – complete all of the readings and assignments and be sure to follow the guidelines in each weekly overview. If you have questions, email me at least 48 hours before the due date of the assignment. I encourage you to not procrastinate and to complete your assignments in a timely manner so as to avoid last minute issues that often arise in each of our lives. Have a positive attitude and enjoy the material. Keep a back-up of all written work. All assignments will be submitted through Canvas. If something should happen during your submission or if you submit the wrong file, you will be glad that you have a back-up file. Online presentation - you will be required to create an original, oral presentation and successfully upload it to the Canvas, course site. Your presentation will include you recording yourself while concurrently discussing the prepared visuals. Each presentation is expected to range from 5-7 minutes. Further, you will be required to view and provide constructive feedback to your peers’ presentations, as well. Quizzes - You will be taking quizzes many weeks, and these grades will be a part of your weekly score; written submissions will constitute the remaining points for that week. The quizzes are timed and designed to test your comprehension of that particular week’s assigned materials. Many quizzes will be completed in the Respondus Lock-Down browser – there will be a link on the first quiz that will allow you to download Respondus. • Note on quizzes for this course: Quizzes are created with the belief that you have already

closely read the assigned text(s); hence, the questions are considered "surface-level" questions that should not require you to have to look up answers. All quizzes are timed, and they should be easily completed within the allocated time. When posed with questions that require a short-answer response, simply answer the question with as few words as needed - complete sentences are not required. Of course, when longer responses are requested, respond accordingly. The objective of reading quizzes is to confirm that you are carefully reading the text(s); longer, more reflective responses will be reserved for the discussion board. If you have any questions, be sure to address them prior to attempting an assignment, and at least 48 hours before the due date.

Academic Integrity and Student Responsibility: Check your UNCC email and Canvas regularly – this is how I will contact you individually or as a class.

Students are required to complete all of the reading assignments, on-line assignments, quizzes, and view all of the assigned films and documentaries. Academic Integrity – read this carefully! THE UNC CHARLOTTE CODE OF STUDENT ACADEMIC INTEGRITY governs the responsibility of students to maintain integrity in academic work, defines violations of the standards, describes procedures for handling alleged violations of the standards, and lists applicable penalties. The following conduct is prohibited in that Code as violating those standards:

A. Cheating. Intentionally using or attempting to use unauthorized materials, information, notes, study aids or other devices in any academic exercise. This definition includes unauthorized communication of information during an academic exercise. B. Fabrication and Falsification. Intentional and unauthorized alteration or invention of any information or citation in an academic exercise. Falsification is a matter of altering information, while fabrication is a matter of inventing or counterfeiting information for use in any academic exercise. C. Multiple Submission. The submission of substantial portions of the same academic work (including oral reports) for credit more than once without authorization. D. Plagiarism. Intentionally or knowingly presenting the work of another as one’s own (i.e., without proper acknowledgement of the source). The sole exception to the requirement of acknowledging sources is when the ideas, information, etc., are common knowledge. E. Abuse of Academic Materials. Intentionally or knowingly destroying, stealing, or making inaccessible library or other academic resource material.

F. Complicity in Academic Dishonesty. Intentionally or knowingly helping or attempting to help another to commit an act of academic dishonesty. A full explanation of these definitions, and a description of procedures used in cases where student violations are alleged, is found in the complete text of The UNC Charlotte Code of Student Academic Integrity. This Code may be modified from time to time. Users are advised to contact the Office of the Dean of Students to ensure they consult the most recent edition: http://www.legal.uncc.edu/policies/ps-105.html Online Etiquette (“Netiquette”) There will be opportunities to engage with your instructor and fellow students throughout this course. Please be aware and sensitive of cultural, aesthetic, and political differences. I expect you to be civil and use a professional tone in your communications. Please write in complete, well-thought sentences and avoid abbreviations and other informal discourse in your emails and discussion board posts. For more information on netiquette, please visit: http://teaching.uncc.edu/academic-technologies/moodle-2/students/netiquette-guidelines Overview and Expectations for On-line Submissions: All postings are due at 11:55 P.M. Eastern Time on Sunday following the posted assignment. I will provide careful expectations for each assignment, and you are responsible for following directions. Your postings will closely resemble journal entries as you independently explore and learn about the material in this course. You will be expected to reflect and discuss elements as a critical thinker and show me what you have learned, thought about and considered; please make an effort to include a variety of responses. I will also be looking for curiosity, willingness to discover new things, engagement of others in class discussions, and a desire to write in a thorough and contemplative manner.

Grading, Participation, and Discussion Board Expectations:

All grades will be posted in Canvas. Each student can only see his/her own grades. Papers, discussion-board entries, and quizzes will be graded and returned within one week of the assignment due date. Interactive Discussion Boards: It is assumed that all students in the course have carefully read/reviewed the assigned readings and materials prior to posting weekly written responses; subsequently, discussion posts should not simply reflect a summary of the readings, but they should reflect deeper understanding of the topics. As this class is entirely on-line, the discussion boards and interactive forums are very important. Each week, one or two discussion questions related to the week’s topics will be posted to the discussion board. Unless otherwise indicated, each week you will post at least one “primary response” to each question and at least two “secondary responses” (a response to another student’s post) to the discussion thread. While only these posts are required, I hope you’ll always read and feel moved to respond (at least sometimes) to additional posts submitted by your peers. Further: • Participation is required, and weekly I will provide explicit guidelines in the weekly overview

for specific participation expectations relevant to that week. Generally speaking, you will be commenting on, analyzing, and further questioning your peers’ postings, and I will be looking to see engagement among the students.

• Quality is more important than quantity, and summaries of the readings are not considered quality posts. Discussion questions are intentionally designed to move you beyond the readings. Citations should only be inserted when appropriate and may not be necessary for some reflective responses.

• Your responses should be grammatically correct. Please take the time to read over your

comments, and to “adjust” them when needed. Points will be deducted for posts that contain more than the occasional typographical error or mistake in grammar.

• Regarding peer responses, they should be positive, constructive and always respectful, and

they should meaningfully extend the discussion, and/or pose relevant questions. Short congratulatory posts do not count as secondary posts.

• I will be following the discussions in your forums, but I will rarely chime in. My personal

feedback will occur as comments and suggestions for improvement in the gradebook. If you need something brought to my attention, please email me individually

SAVE, SAVE, SAVE your writing. Grades will be posted as quickly as possible; it is my intention to grade all assignments within one week of the due date. Check your grades regularly and address any concerns in a timely manner.

I will grade your posts according to the following scale:

Criteria Elements General Quality Fully addresses the questions and

stimulates substantial follow-up postings.

Critical Thinking Rich in content, full of thought, insight and analysis; submission, extends beyond summation of assigned material.

Timeliness Post in time for other students to read and respond

Stylistics Few grammatical or stylistic errors Peer/secondary response(s) Respectful, thoughtful and encourages

further engagement among classmates Breakdown for specifics grades: Weekly Assignments - combination of quizzes, class discussions, and written assignments; these will vary weekly, and there will be no extra credit projects.

Grading scale: A – 90%-100% B – 80%-89% C – 70%-79% D – 60%-69% F – Below 60%

Failure to submit assignments by the designated day/time without written permission from the instructor prior to the close date/time of the assignment will result in the final grade (of the assignment) being lowered 20% each day late, up to two days maximum, from the due date. Also, as this is an online course, no days are exempt from the two-day late-work policy (weekends, holidays, etc.) Beyond two days, no assignments will be accepted, and the missing assignment(s) will be scored as a zero. Course Calendar Notes: This calendar represents only the major topics to be covered in this course. Additional material will be added weekly at the discretion of the instructor, and there will including additional readings assigned for the class. General assignments are outlined by week; specifics will be designated with each weekly posting. Assignments are to be completed in their entirety on the dates stipulated. Tentative schedule: Date Assignments, Readings, Preparations.

Note: readings indicated in each module must be completed by the due date for the week. See each weekly overview for specifics.

1/9-1/20 Introduction to course, Canvas and each other Week 1 • Introduction assignment

• Events leading up to The Great Depression • Causes of the Great Depression • Last day to register or drop/add 1/16.

1/21-1/27 Great Depression and President Hoover Week 2 • Herbert Hoover

• “Rugged Individualism”

1/28-2/3 Great Depression and FDR, New Deal Week 3 • FDR

• The New Deal

2/4-2/10 Life in the 1930s Week 4 • Impact of the Great Depression on Americans

• Book due – The Last Trolley Stop

2/11-2/17 Life in the 1930s Week 5 • Impact of the Great Depression on African Americans

2/18-2/24 Life in the 1930s Week 6 • Impact of the Great Depression on African Americans (continued)

• Book due – Stella by Starlight

2/25-3/3 Subcultures Week 7 • Hobos

• Riding the Rails • Book due – Bud, Not Buddy

3/4-3/10 Spring Break No assignment this week

3/11-3/17 Impact of The Great Depression and the Dust Bowl on agriculture Week 8 • Dust Bowl

• Book due - Out of the Dust

3/18-3/24 Impact of The Great Depression and the Dust Bowl on agriculture Week 9 • Dust Bowl

• Westward Migration • The Weedpatch Camp • Last day to withdraw from course – 3/19

3/25-3/31 Entertainment Week 10 • Jazz

• Music • Student presentations begin

4/1-4/7 Entertainment

Week 11 • Radio Programs, and their • Impact on Children • Student presentations (continued) • Registration for Summer 2019 and Fall 2019 begins 4/1

4/15-4/21 Entertainment Week 12 • Radio

• Advertisements • Comics • Student presentations (continued)

4/15-4/21 Happy Spring Weekend!!

No assignment this week

4/22-4/28 Life in the 1930s - Circus Week 13 • Movie due – Water for Elephants

• The Circus

4/29-5/5 Final Week 14 • Due by Sunday, 11:55 P.M., 5/5.